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Latest Festival News


All the latest festival news as well as news and updates from the traditional music scene in Dumfries & Galloway including concerts, workshops, artist updates, new music releases, music reviews and more. We'll also be featuring news and views from some of our favourite traditional music artists and traditional music news from around the world.

Flook performing at this year's TradFestival!

We are excited to welcome Flook to this year's Traditional Music & Dance festival! They offer precise acoustic grooves with a rare blend of fiery technical brilliance, delicate ensemble interaction and a bold, adventurous musical imagination.  

30 Jun 23
Charlie McAdam

Five Kingdoms supporting this year's Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival

Everyone involved with this years Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival are delighted to have Five Kingdoms Brewery as a sponsor! Since 2015, Five Kingdoms have been producing delicious craft beers and ales fuelled by quality, local ingredients and a real passion for beer.  

29 Jun 23
Charlie McAdam

Ciarán Ryan Band performing at this year's TradFestival!

We are delighted to welcome the Ciarán Ryan Band to this years Tradfest! Already a veteran performer having toured the worlds stages for a decade Ciaran Ryan is quietly becoming recognised as one of the foremost tenor banjo players the UK has ever produced.  

27 Jun 23
Charlie McAdam

WEST supporting this years Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival

Trad Music Trust and everyone involved with this years Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival are hugely grateful to WEST for their support. Established in 2006 West has received lots of awards for both the beer it produces and the service it delivers.  

22 Jun 23
Charlie McAdam

Inverarity Morton supporting Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival

We are delighted to announce another commercial sponsor for this year's Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival. Founded in 1945, Inverarity Morton are Scotland's leading independent wines and spirits merchant and are the main suppliers for The Vault Arts Centre.  

16 Jun 23
Nathon Jones

Moniaive Folk Festival this weekend!

Taking place over 5th-7th May 2023, the 20th Moniaive Folk Festival includes performances from Ape House, Junkman's Choir, Mat Cook, Pete Garnett, Big Red and the Broken Spectre, Lauren Collier, Brogeal, The Roving Pedlars, Shambles Band & Errant Thieves, Mairi Sutherland, Jen Mac and many more!  

4 May 23
Nathon Jones

48th annual Girvan Traditional Folk Festival this weekend!

It's the fantastic Girvan Traditional Folk Festival this weekend - 28th-30th April 2023 - and another amazing lineup of traditional music and song featuring the very best in traditional music. Concerts, session trail, workshops, storytelling, talks, instrument makers fair, family events and more.  

26 Apr 23
Nathon Jones

Trust no longer able to support vital Project Co-ordinator & Festival Director role

With funding cut for the annual traditional music festivals and the recent closure of the music tuition and youth group projects at The Vault Arts Centre, the Trust continues to make cutbacks to ensure its survival, but the loss of its only member of staff will have a significant negative impact.  

12 Apr 23
Nathon Jones

Merrick Real Estate supporting July festival

Sponsorship is a fantastic way to demonstrate your support for the vital arts, culture and traditions of Scotland and can really help promote your business. We're delighted to be welcoming back our good friends from Merrick Real Estate who are generously supporting this year's event.  

28 Mar 23
Nathon Jones

Win a place at The National Piping Centre's Autumn Junior Gathering Weekend

The winner of this year's 14 & Under 4-Parted March / 2 x 2-Parted March category at the solo piping competition will win, courtesy of the National Piping Centre, a free place at one of the Autumn Junior Gathering Weekends held at the National Piping Centre in Glasgow.  

16 Mar 23
Nathon Jones

Penninghame Estate supporting this year's piping competition

The very good people at Penninghame Estate have kindly offered to support the solo piping competition through a new sponsorship agreement for this year's festival. This is fantastic news for the event and we are delighted to have Penninghame Estate's support for this vital cultural tradition.  

15 Mar 23
Nathon Jones

D&G Council cuts festival funding by 42%

Despite a national award nomination - Event of the Year finalists at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards in 2022 - and being Contribution to Tourism award finalists at this year's Awarding Wigtownshire, D&G Council's Major Events Strategic Fund has slashed this year's festival funding by 42%.  

21 Feb 23
Billie Jones

Trad Music Trust

The 10th annual Newton Stewart & Minnigaff Traditional Music & Dance Festival takes place over the 12th-14th July 2024. It's an incredible achievement. The charity has created a viable, sustainable, event that continues to grow and develop, proudly celebrating the very best in traditional Scottish, Irish and World music. Make sure you book early for what is shaping up to be the biggest event yet!

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Sponsored by:
  • The National Piping Centre Logo
  • McCallum Bagpipes Logo
  • Penninghame Estate
  • Merrick Real Estate
Commercial Sponsors:
  • Five Kingdoms Brewery Logo
  • Crafty Distillery Logo
  • WEST Brewery Logo
Funded by:
  • Dumfries & Galloway Council Logo
  • The Holywood Trust Logo